Eat My Dust
by PicassoWithAPencil
Summary: It's been five years since Rey retired from Indy race car driving due to injury and has since then worked as a mechanic. She likes to believe she's happy, yet there is a piece of her heart that is dissatisfied. When a man comes into the shop wanting his mothers old car fixed, Rey's heart might just be happy once more.


**Hi! Okay I recently fell in love with Reylo and this is my first fic for them. So try to be kind! I did so much research on classic and Indy cars that the knowledge makes my brain hurt! This is what I did instead of doing AP homework so I hope that everyone enjoys it! Xoxo-PicassoWithAPencil**

The rain pounded incessantly outside of Rey's car windows and it blurred the view of the road in front of her. Driving in the rain terrified her, for she was always paranoid about getting into a crash. Her friends argued vehemently against this while claiming she was one of the best drivers they'd ever met. Once she would have agreed.

Now was a different story.

She finally reached her exit just as she was worried she'd be late for work. She pulled her tiny Volkswagen Jetta into the parking lot of AT-AT Mechanical Service where she worked. She didn't bother with an umbrella as she jumped out of the car and raced into the nearest bay. She looked around for her supervisor but saw that he was nowhere to be found. _Of course Unkar is late again. Never should he actually show up before his employees._

She put the disgruntlement behind her as she shoved her belongings into her locker and strode straight towards the classic 1961 Lincoln Continental she'd been working on for weeks. She was just about to start repairing what could only be the shittiest transmission in the world when someone poked her on the back. She spun around, a monkey wrench pointed straight at her aggravators face.

"Woah! This face is the only reason Finn pays for my lattes every morning! Don't damage the goods." She relaxed at the sight of her old friend Poe Dameron. She reached up and swatted him playfully on the arm, much to his own irritated chagrin. "You know better than to sneak up on me like that Poe. Especially when I'm working." He sighed. "I know Rey. But I wanted to surprise you with something I found while I was cleaning out the parts shed this morning."

Rey _was_ curious about what he had found. However, the fact Poe was at work before her, in the parts shed no less, caught her interests more. "Why are you here so early? And I thought cleaning was for the interns." Poe's face turned a hilarious shade of parsimony. "Unkar caught Finn and I messing around while I was supposed to be on duty. He said he would punish me like the child I was, therefore giving me a job fit for one. He also-"

He broke off in frustration when he noticed her giggling. "Stop laughing at me! How the hell was I supposed to know Unkar happened to be looking for me then?" He shook his head. "Maybe I won't show you what I found after all!" He huffed in a silly way and Rey knew he was joking. "Okay Poe. Spill it. What'd you find?" The photo he handed over to her made her heart stop in only the way painful memories can.

The picture had to have been taken about five years ago and she happened to be in it. Her eyes shone with a wild light as she stood proudly next to her Indy car, the _Millennium Falcon._ She remembered that day the picture was taken, and she'd had no idea she'd never step foot on the Jakku racing strip ever again. She handed the picture back to Poe and clenched her fists to keep them from shaking any more than they already were.

"Um thanks Poe, but that can go in the garbage." Her friend deflated considerably and Rey knew what he had been planning to ask. "I'm sorry Poe. I can't go back to that life. It nearly cost me everything." "But it gave you so much light Rey! You don't smile like you used to back then. It hurts all of us to know you aren't truly happy."

Rey just barely ignored his pleading tone as she turned back to her work. "Poe that was five years ago. I was young and impulsive, not to mention reckless. I've wised up. That life was never for me and I was stupid not to realize it from the start. I'm not going back. No matter what you or Finn try to tell me." Poe sighed dejectedly.

"It's okay Rey. I should've known better. I understand." He walked away but Rey knew he left the photo behind on her toolbox. The longing in her heart for the roar of the engines and the thrill of the ride surged up violently in her chest. If only they knew how much she wanted that life back. She sighed as she reached for her wrench and got back to work. This, and her Jetta were the closest she'd ever to cars again.

She could admit that she desired what she'd once had, but only to herself.

The engine of his mothers old and rusted car rumbled and growled at him as he drove down the rain spattered highway. He groaned. Of all the times his mother decided to bring up another one of her weird hobbies, it had to be just when he reconciled his differences with her. Yet Kylo Ren was not about to not help her, so he was driving her rickety car down to AT-AT Mechanical Service.

He just hoped the car would hold out for the rest of the half mile it took him to get there. Thankfully it did, and he'd pulled up next to a sporty Jetta as he climbed out of the car and over to the office. A blast of heat hit him full force the minute he stepped in the door and he snorted discontentedly. He rang the rusty bell sitting atop the counter and waited for someone to help him.

A shout resounded from the back and a tiny woman stumbled through the door. She looked up and gave him a flustered smile. She was a petite little thing with greasy overalls and three chestnut brown buns making a path down the back of her head. Suddenly a small, dirty hand presented itself in front of his face. He blinked twice and looked away, embarrassed for staring.

"Well now that I've got your attention sir what can I do for you?" He scoffed at her cheeky tone. Just what he needed: A total smartass. "I just brought my old car here for you to fix." The woman stood on her tiptoes and glanced at the parking lot behind his head. Her squeal of delight and mad dash for the door startled him. He hurried after her, somewhat bothered that a small thing like her was standing in the freezing rain.

She was already inspecting the car with what seemed to be a professional eye. She looked up at him, excitement shining evidently in her bright hazel gaze. "I've never even _seen_ a 1949 Cadillac Series 62 in my life!" Everything she was saying was basically gibberish to him. "Is that what that is?" She stared at him, mouth gaping.

"You didn't know what a beauty your own car is?" He grunted sheepishly. "It belongs to my mother. I'm getting it fixed for her." The woman looked at him in surprise, as if she couldn't believe such a thing were true. Then she blinded him with another smile as she said, "It's sweet that you're doing that for her." She gave the car a last check before calling out to the other mechanic. The woman got into the car and drove it into one of the bays.

Afterwards she led him back into the office for paperwork. "This might take a while, judging by the cars condition," she admitted shamefacedly. "It's fine," he grumbled although he was less than pleased. "You could stay or I could drive you home." He was shocked at her offer, but he noticed that her cheeks had taken on a pink tint. It was almost as if she was worried about coming on too strong. He did need to get back to his mom.

"Okay I'll ride home with you." She looked pleasantly surprised at his acceptance. She turned and yelled at her partner.

"Poe!"

A voice shouted back, "What?"

"I'm going to take this guy home since he doesn't have a car."

"What if Unkar comes while you're gone?"

"Tell him I took my break."

"But Rey you never take breaks!"

"I know!"

 _Rey._ That was her name. Kylo couldn't help thinking it suited her. Rey slipped on her jacket and grabbed her purse. "Is there anything of value you left in the car you need to grab," she asked him. He couldn't recall if there was anything, but if he left one of his mothers things in there she would surely kill him. "I'll just take a quick look."

Rey nodded and led him back to the bay where they'd moved the car. As he followed her to the back, he noticed a photo sitting atop a green toolbox. He glanced down at it as he passed by. It happened to be an older looking picture of Rey standing next to an Indy car and beaming. He stared at it in surprise for a moment, looking at the smile which seemed even more radiant than the ones she sported now. He moved away from the picture hastily so as not to be caught looking.

Yet the picture left him with many question about just who this woman was.


End file.
